2018 Mission To Mars?

Thanks to private funding a unmanned mission to Mars is planned in 2018. The foundation that is launching this mission to Mars is known as Mars One. Mars One was founded by and run by Bas Lansdorp.

What the mission to Mars will include:

– Orbiting communications relay station

– Landing with a robotic arm

– Water generating gear

– Experimental thin film solar panels

– Student experiments

To achieve the above goals Mars One is partnering with Lockheed Martin and Surrey Satellite Technology. The Mars One Lander will be based off the 2007 NASA Phoenix Mars mission. The communication “geostationary” satellite will be the first in orbit around Mars.

How much is the Mars One Mission going to cost?

– Lockheed Martin contract $250,000

– Surrey agreement $60,000

Development of the actual spacecraft and the rocket, or rockets will definitely add lots of additional costs

– Mars One wouldn’t give an exact number, but they say it will cost less than NASA’s next Mars lander, the $425 million Phoenix-derived Insight mission scheduled for launch in 2016.

The ultimate goal of the Mars Mission is to get humans to Mars in 2025.